fall: time for apples, corn mazes and canning

Ah, fall is in the air… so it’s time to pick apples (a friend highly recommended Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont because they do integrated pest control — much better than spraying everything with pesticides that you eat!), find a corn maze (I recommend Liberty Ridge Farm in Schaghticoke, as they also have animals, train rides, a harvest shop, and other entertainment/activities for families), and can summer’s bounty (fruits can be made into jam, make your own applesauce, and can tomatoes for sauces and to toss into your chili or over your macaroni and cheese) while you can preserve it.
If you don’t know how to can, here’s a primer. On Saturday, October 3 at 10 a.m., learn to can at Cornell Cooperative Extension‘s office at 61 State Street (near the DMV building) in Troy. Cost is $8, which includes cans and produce (most likely, tomatoes). To reserve your space, call Eric Paul, general manager of the Troy Community Food Co-op at 518-424-1131.